Women Who Inspire Us

The women of my life never cease to inspire and amaze me, constantly pushing the boundaries of who I believe them to be and always teaching me more & more about myself. From my grandmother, who traveled to a new country to create more opportunities for her daughter, to my mother, who unconditionally supported me and had my back in hard times, to my friends today, whose hard work and love for me constantly inspire me to be the best version of myself. Even women I’ve had momentary contact with, the hard-working musician I worked with this summer who always found time to have something kind to say to each person on set, and the kind producer who recommended me as an inexperienced production assistant to her first movie job. Even as I look back, my Pathfinder leader in high school who taught me what leadership means, and my 8th- to 9th-grade teacher who taught me that being strong and opinionated was never a bad thing. Over the years, countless women in my life have inspired and strengthened me. This article is a tribute to how women, both near and far from us, whether they live next door or on our Instagram home page, inspire & encourage us to be the best person we can be.

Taznir Smalling (sophomore, music and international business)
I find my inspiration in the little things, a melody, a fallen leaf, a mother, and her child. A woman is one of my many inspirations, she signifies strength, courage, and power. I don't have just one person that inspires me! I find inspiration in women who are ambitious, beautiful, and powerful, like Michelle Obama.

Brooke Scott (freshman, nursing)
The woman that inspires me the most is my mother, April Rasnic. She inspires me to be the best version of myself. She is the strongest, most independent woman I know. She is building up her career to be the best that it can be. She uses her resources to help others and care for those around her. She puts everyone that she loves before herself. She not only tells me to be a successful woman, but she also shows me what it’s like to be one.

Nilah Mataafa (junior, accounting)
A woman who inspires me is Rihanna; she’s a brilliant musician & businesswoman. She filled a gap in the beauty industry where it lacked WOC providing makeup options for darker skin tones. Up until recently, it was super difficult for WOC to find makeup in their skin tones. That's a huge chunk of the market right there! She has differentiated her brand giving value to her target market by providing 40 different shades of foundation. You would think other brands would have come up with this idea by now. She revolutionized the beauty industry and now monopolizes this niche because of her strides towards inclusion. Now she’s reaping the benefits. Go her.

Abigail Timothy (freshman, biochemistry )
A woman that inspires me is Malala Yousafzai because she stood strong in her beliefs even in the face of adversity. She was also very young and was still very firm in her beliefs. So much so, that even after she was shot, she continued to speak out and never wavered.

Hailey Prestes (sophomore, interior design)
A woman who inspires me is my grandma, Vó Roseli. She gave birth to two stillborns, went through a nasty divorce from my cheating grandfather, and very soon after lost her 20-year-old first-born and only daughter. Even with so much pain and loss in her life, she is the most giving, cheerful, and selfless woman I will ever know. She is the definition of an empowering woman who overcomes all that is thrown her way. Although women, especially Latina women, are usually told to be quieter, she is always the loudest person in the room and she owns it with such confidence that no one can silence her.

Rekha Isaac (sophomore, biochemistry)
A woman who inspires me is Neelam Gill because she was the first Indian model for Burberry and it’s nice to see an Indian face doing modeling. In fact, she never had a correct shade for her foundation color, so Burberry made a specific foundation for her skin tone. She brought awareness to the fact that most foundation shades aren’t for Indian undertones, so the market began to expand and include more diverse shades.

Agishay Sudhaker (freshman, public health)
A woman that inspires me is my mother, Tigist. She inspires me every day through the way she carries herself. She is kind, positive, caring, selfless, fun, and intelligent. My mom effortlessly gives love to everyone she meets wholeheartedly and fully supports them in anything they need. She inspires me to better myself and try to instill the previous qualities mentioned into my own character.

Gabby DeSouza (freshman, biology)
Every time I get asked the question “who inspires you,” the first person that comes to mind is always my mom. She has never failed to show me her character. She inspires me to be the best version of myself. She has always shown me the better side of everything. She inspires me to work harder, to care for those around me, and never fails to be by my side whenever I need her. She raised me to be the person I am today and for that, I will forever be grateful.

Grace No (sophomore, English)
Kim Kardashian inspires me to live freely. I think that it really reassures me to know that you don't have to be the smartest, most talented person out there to still find success as long as you really know your own individual strengths. I like when she says stupid things on TV because she's still getting paid for it, so no matter how many people might make fun of her for being dumb, she's still winning.

Bailey Young (sophomore, business)
One woman that constantly inspires me is my mother. Growing up I wasn't able to truly recognize and appreciate the sacrifices she made for me and my sister, but the longer I live by myself the more I notice all the little things she did that I took for granted. However, what I appreciate even more than the material comforts she provided, is the character she passed down. She's the most forgiving and least judgemental person I know, but she's also never afraid to put me in my place (kindly) if I'm in the wrong.

Carolina Smith (sophomore, animal science)
A woman who inspires me is Jane Goodall, the woman who worked with chimpanzees. She was a woman in the STEM animal field, pioneering in an area of work that was often a man’s job. She’s pretty cool and is a truly kind person who really cared about the animals and preserving the earth.

Elianna Srikureja (senior, English and chemistry)
A woman who inspires me is Malala Yousafzai, because she represents my own personal background as an Indian woman who grew up and spent a lot of time there. I experienced a community where my education was not prioritized as much as my male counterparts. To have a woman who I can identify with, who emphasizes the need for education and independence for women, is very important. She created a space for cultural acceptance that has allowed for female agency.